Gate-latch.



' w. J. PUSTON.

GATE LATCH APPLICATION FILED APR. 24, 1909. 4

Patented Mar. 8, 1910.

[N VE N T 0R Attorney WITNESSES ANDREW a (an/01AM co FHOTOLITNDGMPNERS wAsmNmon FFICE.

WALTER J. FTJ'STON, 0F WAXAI-IACHIE, TEXAS.

GATE-LATCH.

T 0 all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER J. FUs'roN, citizen of the United States, residing at lVaxahachie, in the county of Ellis and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to gate latches, and the object thereof is to provide a latch which, in its closed position, supports the weight of the gate from off its hinges, and is held in its closed position by the weight.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, and form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a gate provided with my improved latch. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of my improved gate latch, and, Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof.

Referring specifically to the drawings, a gate 1 is mounted between gate posts 2 and 3, being hinged at 4: to the post 2. The gate post 3 is provided with a bearing plate 5, and with a latch piece 6, vertically alined above said plate 5, which latch piece 6 and bearing plate 5 may be formed integral with, and upon the upper and lower ends respectively of, a member 6 secured to said post.

Mounted with its inner end pivotally secured at 7, upon the gate 1, and extending outwardly beyond the side bar 8 thereof, through portion 9 of a guide bracket 9, carried thereby, is a horizontal latch bar 10, the free end of which is adapted for engagement with the latch piece 6, and which is provided upon its inner pivoted end, with a downwardly extending angular arm 11. The extremity of the angular arm 11 of latch bar 10, is pivotally connected at 11 by means of a link 12, to a bar 13, at 13, intermediate the ends thereof, which bar 13 is pivotally mounted at its rear end, at 14, upon gate 1, and extends substantially parallel with latch bar 10, and through the portion 9* of guide bracket 9.

A leaf spring 16 secured to gate 1 and bearing upwardly against bar 13, tends to hold pivot point 11 to either side of a line drawn through the pivots 7 and 13 to which it is moved. Thus when latch bar 10, the forward end of which forms a handle 15, is raised and the gate open, the parts will Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 24, 1909.

Serial No. 491,972.

be held in the upper position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, while when closed, the weight of the gate rests upon the end of bar 13, upon hearing plate 5, and, as will be apparent, through the connections shown, pulls the latch bar 10 tightly down within latch piece 6.

Having fully described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a gate latch of the character described, the combination with a gate post, provided with superposed bearing plate and latch piece, of pivotally superposed bars carried by said gate and arranged to engage said bearing plate and said latch piece, and connections between said superposed bars adapted to swing the upper of said superposed bars downwardly when the lower of said superposed bars is swung upwardly, substantially as described.

2. In a gate latch of the character described, the combination with a gate post, provided with superposed bearing plates, and latch pieces, of a latch bar pivotally mounted upon the gate to engage said latch piece, a bar pivotally supported upon the gate parallel with said latch bar and to rest at one end upon said bearing plate and support the gate thereby, and connections between the said bar and the latch bar, to draw the latter tightly within its latch piece, substantially as described.

3. In a gate latch of the character described, the combination with a gate post provided with superposed bearing plate and latch piece, of a latch bar horizontally pivotally mounted at its inner end upon the gate to engage said latch piece with its outer end, and provided upon its said inner end with an angular extension, a bar pivoted upon the gate parallel with said latch bar, adapted to rest with its forward end upon the said bearing plate, and a pivotal link connecting said bar to the end of said angular extension of said latch bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER J. FUSTON.

WVitnesses:

THOMAS COOK, CALVIN T. NALI.

Patented Mar. 8, 1910. 

